


On My Oni

by Kilgamayan



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Brief blood mention, Gen, Oni profanity, Violence (not too graphic though), sadfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-04
Updated: 2015-02-04
Packaged: 2018-03-10 10:44:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3287357
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kilgamayan/pseuds/Kilgamayan
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kasen's past comes back to torment her in more ways than one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	On My Oni

**Author's Note:**

> While Kasen and Suika seeing each other recently in WaHH is acknowledged, this writing ignores WaHH's implication that Kasen and Yuugi have also seen each other recently.
> 
> Credit to Purvis to his massive influence over how I write oni dialogue. His style of onispeak has pretty much become exactly how I imagine they talk.

In the caverns of the Underground, Kisume had the fortune of being able to hide in high ceilings, watching the occasional passer-by make their way to and from the topside entrance. She was able to float high enough and remain still enough to be difficult to notice if people didn’t look upward and actively search around.

 

She had also been around the block long enough to know when not to interfere with certain travelers. Glancing down in search of the source of a sudden commotion, Kisume went wide-eyed as she saw two figures she dared not ever mess with head toward the surface entrance, the short one dragging the gargantuan one along by the wrist despite the latter’s protests.

 

“No, really! I found her! I actually found her again! Come on, come on, I’ll show you! Quit draggin’ yer heels and move!”

 

\---

 

It was another peaceful fall day in Gensokyo. A slight breeze picked up near the _torii_ of the Hakurei Shrine, scattering a few fallen leaves as many more that remained on the trees displayed their various colors. Unfortunately, all of nature’s beauty was lost on the shrine’s agitated denizen.

 

“I’ve already swept the front porch. Leave me alone, I need some time to relax.”

 

“You laze about every day! Why do you think you get so few visitors?!”

 

“Oh, get off it.”

 

A frustrated grunt was the only response as Kasen Ibaraki nearly rolled her eyes out of her head.

 

“Look, I do plenty already, okay? You know the kinds of things I’ve had to deal with. If I have a chance to not push myself, I’m gonna take it.”

 

Kasen sighed. “I’m quite aware of what you do, Reimu. That’s exactly why I worry for this place.”

 

“Huh? What do you mean?”

 

“I mean that someone in your position, someone tasked with what you do should be able live better than this. Look at how Sanae is able to live, and how she—oh, don’t make that face. I’m only bringing up the Moriya Shrine because I know you can have that too, and I think you _should_ have that, for your sake.”

 

Seated on the front steps of the shrine, Reimu leaned up against a nearby wooden pillar, refusing to relinquish her scowl. “I still don’t want to hear about it, and you know _that_ too.”

 

“Reimu, please…”

 

“I know I don’t have as much as Sanae does. And…sure, maybe sometimes it bothers me a little bit. But I’m fine with how I live. This is what I want. Every I do that isn’t something I have to do is something I want to do. Just leave it alone.”

 

No response came. After several seconds of silence, Reimu turned her gaze from the path that led to the shrine to her hermit guest, curious as to why she was silent. She saw Kasen’s face drawn into a frown, with traces of uncertainty and…maybe even some discomfort present. And…was the hermit shaking, ever so slightly? It was hard to tell for sure.

 

Seeing her companion in such a state soften Reimu’s mood a little bit. “Look. I know you mean well, okay? It’s nothing personal. It’s just that I’m me. Not you, not Sanae, not Remilia, thank the fates for that, and not anybody else. I’m happy with this.”

 

Kasen still didn’t respond, but if she was shaking before, it didn’t seem like she was anymore. Sighing, Reimu looked back down the shrine path toward the torii—and let out an annoyed grunt as she saw a familiar handlebar-horned figure approaching.

 

“Looks like you’re gonna get your wish in the end anyway. We got a drunkard visitor.”

 

“Huh?”

 

Kasen snapped out of her reverie and looked down the shrine path as Reimu stood up and stretched. Seeing the all-too-familiar form of Suika Ibuki made her curse inwardly at letting her guard down and being discovered again by the oni.

 

“Oy! What luck, you’re actually here! Hey, Reimu, I got another guest for ya!”

 

“If she’s your guest, you’re supplying the drinks, too.”

 

Suika chuckled. “Yeah, yeah, I gotcha! That ain’t gonna be a problem, believe me!”

 

Not wanted to behave too strangely in front of Reimu, Kasen nodded her head toward the newcomer. “Good day, Suika.”

 

“Yo, whaddup, Kasen? Am I glad to see you here! My guest ain’t just here for me, you know, she’s here for you, too! Thanks for savin’ me the effort of chasin’ you down!”

 

The hermit suddenly felt a weight in the pit of her stomach as Suika turned back toward the _torii_ and beckoned vigorously. “She’s here! C’mon, get your lazy bones up them stairs and say hi!”

 

A second, gigantic figure made her way into view, and the weight in Kasen’s stomach suddenly dropped all the way into her feet, along with most of her internal organs. For her part, the one-horned, blonde-haired amazon that had just arrived did a double-take before speaking.

 

“…Zoggin’ ‘ell, you weren’t kiddin’…”

 

“Oh, wow, it’s you. Didn’t expect to see you up here, uh, ever. No partying while you’re here, got it? I don’t need my shrine destroyed a third time.”

 

Kasen found herself no end of thankful to Reimu couldn’t see the look on her face and was apparently unaware of the sudden massive spike of distress.

 

“…And a good day to you as well, Yuugi. It has…been some time.”

 

Ignoring Suika running around the grounds in childish excitement, Kasen watched the mountain of an oni lumbered her way toward the front steps, a shocked and incredulous look on her face. Every instinct in Kasen’s body told her to flee, to run away as fast as she could. It took all of her willpower to remain still and avoid showing such fear and weakness in front of Reimu.

 

Yuugi got a few yards away from Kasen before stopping. She stared for a couple of seconds in silence, before breaking into a huge grin.

 

“Shiv me sideways! S’really you, Raki! S’been way too zoggin’ long!”

 

Kasen’s panic shattered, replaced by surprise at the reception she got. “It-uh, um…yeah. I’m here.”

 

Yuugi gave a single clap. Kasen felt her hair rustle a little bit in the resulting breeze.

 

“Too long, yeah, too long! How’ve y’been all this time? Oh, er, um, sorry. I kinda forgot.”

 

The oni sheepishly gestured at the hermit’s bandaged arm. Kasen blinked before waving her off.

 

“Ah, no, don’t worry about it. I’ve been quite well, actually. I still have a long way ahead of me, but I have come far, and done well for myself, if I may say so.”

 

“Yeah, it sure must be hard work trying to mother me around all the time.”

 

Kasen’s face went red. Yuugi’s laugher ringing in her ears, she glared back at Reimu, who was still leaning irritatingly nonchalantly again her pillar.

 

“”Haw haw haw! Yeah, kiddo, Ibaraki was always waaaaay more responsible than th’ rest ‘f us.”

 

Reimu gave a small grin. “Oh, do tell. I have to admit, I didn’t know you two knew each other so well.”

 

“Yeah, Buki, Raki, an’ I go way back together. Raki was real good at keepin’ ‘er cool. Not like us, heh. But y’know, there was this one time during a drinking contest where she-“

 

“Please do not talk about that!”

 

The giggling from Reimu and Suika stung Kasen’s ears. She suddenly found herself wishing that a giant hole would spontaneously open in the ground beneath her feet.

 

“Heh, y’know I’m just messin’ with ya, Raki.”

 

“O-of course. So what brings you to the surface, anyway?”

 

“Well, heh, t’be honest, I didn’t want to hit up topside. But Buki told me she found you, and she insisted I come look too. Y’know how she gets when she really wants somethin’. But damn, am I glad I came! I’ve missed you for a long time.”

 

“…Really?”

 

“Whad’ya mean, ‘really’? ‘F course I have! We might be diff’rent types ‘f people, but we were really tight, weren’t we?”

 

“I…suppose that is true. I guess I just figured that the passage of time would have led you to forget about me, Yuugi. At least somewhat.”

 

“Damn, I’d never do that! Some ‘f th’ best times ‘f my life were when we were all together, y’know?”

 

Kasen was stunned. Surely Yuugi hadn’t forgotten the circumstances under which they had separated? Or maybe…maybe she genuinely cared enough to look past them.

 

A small smile slowly crept onto the hermit’s face. “…Yes, I do know. I do still cherish my own memories of those times.”

 

“Hah, attagirl! Glad y’didn’t forget about li’l ol’ me!”

 

“Of course not. Ah, I must apologize for my rude behavior since you arrived here.”

 

“Don’t sweat it. I was zoggin’ shocked t’see you too!”

 

The hermit giggled in response despite herself. “I can imagine.”

 

Kasen watched Suika run by her and, still laughing, bowl Reimu over.

 

“Reimu, Reimu! Isn’t this great? We found her! We found her!”

 

“Urgh! Gerroff me, you lump! If you’re gonna go nuts about this, go do it somewhere else!”

 

Yuugi smacked a fist into a palm. “Oy, that’s a good’un! Y’should come back to the city, Raki!”

 

Kasen blinked, smile almost wavering. “…Excuse me?”

 

“Yeah! We’ll throw ya a zoggin’ big bash! Bet I could get th’ whole city to turn out. A little skull-bashin’ to the lazier bums should do the trick, heh.”

 

Suika swung her gourd through the air in excitement, nearly bludgeoning Reimu in the face and eliciting an angry yelp from the shrine maiden. “Yeah! Yeah! I’m in!”

 

“Ah, er…um…”

 

Yuugi started gesturing with her hands, oblivious to Kasen’s lack of enthusiasm. “I got some really good stuff down in th’ larder that I‘ve been savin’ for centuries. Might just break it out for this!”

 

“Ah…I don’t…”

 

“Hmm? Raki, you say somethin’?”

 

Kasen took a deep breath.

 

“…I…would rather not go to the city.”

 

Silence. A light breeze stirred some leaves for a moment, and then died out again.

 

“…What…?”

 

“…I do not want to go to the city.”

 

Yuugi stood still, blinking in disbelief. Suika leaned forward, hoping that maybe she had heard incorrectly.

 

“What’re’ya talkin’ about, Kasen?”

 

“I have my cherished memories of older days, yes. But I have moved on. This is my life now, and I am happy with it.”

 

“But…”

 

Kasen had to admit that see Suika’s pained face hurt a little bit. Reimu’s surprised look was at least as distressing, though. This was already far more than she was ready to admit in front of the shrine maiden.

 

“I’m sorry, Suika.”

 

“So what’cher sayin’ is that you’re happier without us.”

 

The hermit whirled. Yuugi was still standing there, arms crossed, her face suddenly unreadable.

 

“’Zat it?”

 

“That’s not what I said, Yuugi.”

 

“Sure sounded like it t’me. Would explain why y’left us in th’ first place.”

 

Kasen narrowed her eyes. Yuugi’s responded in kind.

 

“Is that what this is about?”

 

“‘Sup to you, innit?”

 

“Is it now? This is a first.”

 

“We made a pact, Raki. All of us. Don’t go thinkin’ ‘s my fault you agreed to it.”

 

“Hey, hey, hey! What’re you two doin’? Stop it, both ‘a ya!”

 

Kasen looked back at Suika, who was sitting straight up next to an obviously-puzzled Reimu. The oni was clearly distressed, and Kasen’s mood softened slightly. She looked back to Yuugi, who sighed and shook her head.

 

“Roit, roit. Sorry for losin’ m’cool.”

 

The oni started walking the rest of the distance toward the hermit, who tensed up but didn’t move.

 

“Look, y’can trust me on this, okay? You’ll be fine. Just one visit to th’ city, one last time. And then you can go back t’ living this life ya got for yourself. C’mon.”

 

Yuugi reached out for Kasen’s bandaged arm to take it in her hand. But just as she grabbed, Kasen’s arm was gone.

 

Then there was a blur, and–

 

“DON’T TOUCH ME!”

 

_SMACK!_

 

The right side of Yuugi’s face erupted in pain as stars danced across her eyes. A small shriek that sounded like Suika came from…somewhere. The oni staggered back, rubbing a hand across her face.

 

Eventually, Yuugi’s vision returned to a slightly blurry normal. Pulling her hand away, she saw Kasen standing there, breathing hard, uninjured hand outstretched stiff in front of her.

 

“…Did…you just _slap_ me?”

 

Kasen slowly pulled her hand back, still breathing hard. After standing motionless for a few more seconds, she took an unsure step back, but did not respond otherwise. Yuugi’s glare was locked onto her as the oni’s vision cleared further and her voice dropped dangerously low.

 

“…You just slapped me.”

 

“…You’re not going to take me back there. I will not let you.”

 

“So even after all these years, you ‘n your new lifestyle, you’re still a deserter.”

 

“That city is stifling! I felt like my soul was being choked every single day! But none of that ever really mattered to you, did it?”

 

“What mattered was thinkin’ I could trust you! Don’t go accusin’ me ‘f that tripe when we didn’t matter t’you!”

 

Kasen didn’t respond. Yuugi couldn’t tell if the hermit was shaking with rage, or fear, or some combination of the two, and she didn’t care. She took a step forward.

 

“You’re goin’ back there t’explain yourself. You owe ‘em that much.”

 

Still saying nothing, the hermit stepped back and to the side.

 

And then slowly shifting into a combat-ready stance.

 

Yuugi was slightly taken aback. Not just at Kasen’s willingness to fight, but at the look of determination on the hermit’s face. She was clearly all-in on the proposition.

 

The oni stopped for a second. Then she laughed.

 

“Really now? Y’actually think so?”

 

Kasen didn’t move or speak.

 

“Have it your way, then! Haven’t taken someone in a while anyway. Hope ‘m not too rusty!”

 

The oni sprang into action, leaping forward to grab at the hermit. Her hand closed on empty air once again, and she felt a spike of pain in her right side. Swinging her fist to her right, she was rewarded with another painful jab at the base of her spine. Whirling around, she saw the hermit standing in that same combat stance several meters away. She spat on the ground in irritation.

 

“Too scared t’fight me proper, huh? Should’ve known.”

 

Kasen blinked, and reached her bad arm behind her tabard. Expecting a hidden weapon of some sort, Yuugi was shocked when a bandaged hand suddenly appeared an inch from her face, and she was unable to swing her head away before the hand flicked her in the nose.

 

The oni grunted and put her own hand to her face to soothe the aching. Looking back at her opponent, she saw the hermit had pulled her arm back and resumed her stance, silent stare and determination unwavering.

 

“Oh, you’re gonna get it now, you little–GRAH!”

 

Yuugi rushed at her target, ready to rip that bad arm clear off its shoulder. A whirlwind ensued with the oni swinging every which way, unable to land a blow on her smaller and vastly more nimble target. Somewhere, in the back of her mind, behind the crescendo of angry grunts, she could tell that the blows her opponent was landing were actually getting through a little bit. That small part of her puzzled at the thought, and at this whole ordeal. Kasen was always fairly fast and strong, but this was a whole new level. Where the hell was it coming from?

 

A kick to the back of her knee sent Yuugi partially down, the same knee hitting the ground. Kasen was a blur, dancing circles around the oni. Realizing she was at risk of actually getting overwhelmed, Yuugi braced her body for the incoming blows, and lifted both fists above her head before slamming them hard on the ground in front of her.

 

Surprised shouts from somewhere nearby came with the sudden quake, but Yuugi ignored them, looking around to see if it had borne the desired fruit. She spotted Kasen on her left, well within arm’s reach, wobbling just a little bit in an attempt to retain her balance. Seizing her opportunity, Yuugi planted her right fist into Kasen’s abdomen, eliciting a morbidly satisfying choking sound. With the hermit temporarily incapacitated, Yuugi fired a left hook, connecting solidly with the side of Kasen’s face. The hermit went flying horizontally for several meters, before hitting the ground on her side and skidding for several more with her momentum. Yuugi grinned as she picked herself off the ground, her opponent lying motionless.

 

“Shouldn’a done that, Raki.”

 

The burst of smug confidence vanished as Yuugi watched Kasen suddenly pick herself up and quickly resume her stance. Her clothes were a mess, but her body was true to its owner, and her glare was as determined as ever.

 

Yuugi only barely heard a surprised gasp behind her as Kasen finally spoke, rubbing her chin once with the side of her good hand.

 

“You hit like a man, Hoshi.”

 

That did it. Yuugi snarled as she rushed at Kasen once again, wanting no less than to rip those impudent lips right off her face. Haymakers were thrown left and right as the enraged oni no longer felt the blows her opponent was landing, but none of them connected. Kasen did not let up on shifting around for a second, knowing full well what one of those punches would feel like if it actually landed.

 

After many more futile swings and a lot more frustration, Yuugi stuck her leg out behind her, while throwing another punch. She felt her opponent run into it and stumble with a yelp. The oni swung around and grabbed the off-balance hermit by the throat, lifting her off the ground as she struggled and kicked to get free.

 

Bearing a wicked grin once again, Yuugi swung Kasen down hard, crashing her into the ground on her back without letting go of her throat. Picking the hermit back up, she slammed her down once, twice, three more times, until Kasen went mostly limp. Lifting her into the air one last time, Yuugi flicked her wrist and tossed Kasen upward a little bit before punting her well up into the air, above the top of the nearby _torii_ , leaving the hermit to crash face-first into the stone walkway.

 

There was another shriek from somewhere beyond her target, but Yuugi was too focused on the corpse she left lying on the ground to care. Several seconds of stillness went by…before the oni’s jaw dropped as the hermit began to stir.

 

Slowly, shakily, Kasen picked herself up off the ground with the assistance of some heavy breathing and a lot of blinking to un-haze her vision. And then the dirty, bloody mess of a hermit, legs wobbling, chest heaving, put herself back in her combat stance, the glow in her eyes brighter than ever.

 

Adrenaline rushing away, Yuugi suddenly realized how exhausted she was. Her entire body ached like mad from the countless blows Kasen had landed on her, and the weight of her breathing matched her opponent’s. She stood still for several seconds, eyeing her unwavering opponent, before sighing.

 

“Fine.”

 

Kasen blinked and raised her head a little, but did not respond otherwise.

 

“You win. You can have this life ‘a yours. Go ahead and abandon us again. I don’t care anymore. I’m outta here.”

 

The oni turned and limped back toward the _torii_. Kasen watched her go, slowly dropping her defense in bewilderment. No sound was heard aside from the _clack-clack-clack_ of Yuugi’s geta on the walkway. And then she passed under the gate, started down the steps, and disappeared from view.

 

A second, speedier set of footsteps sounded from behind Kasen as she watched Suika run by toward the gate.

 

“Yuugs, wait!”

 

The little oni stopped and looked back at Kasen, distraught etched all over her face. Kasen couldn’t find any words with which to respond. Their gazes lingered on each other, before Suika resumed calling and chasing after her friend.

 

Kasen watched the little oni vanish before heaving a painful sigh, needing to catch herself from falling over from exhaustion. She looked around to re-adjust herself to her surroundings and calm herself down a bit. In the process, she turned around and spotted Reimu, still sitting on the shrine’s front steps, mouth wide with shock, pointing at the hermit’s head.

 

“…You…you’re…”

 

Another slight breeze picked up, and Kasen noticed it felt oddly airy through her hair. She reached up to feel why–and realized with horror that her right bun had ripped open, and a sharp protruding point was very visible from inside it. Checking her left bun with her other hand revealed the same.

 

All of the energy Kasen had left drained from her in an instant, flooded out by a wave of realizations. What she and her close friend had just said and done to each other. What everyone back home must really think of her. How much of the secret life she had kept hidden from Reimu that was now blown wide open. She slumped to her knees, staring at the shrine maiden with not a idea of what to do now. Tears formed in her eyes.

 

“…Reimu, I…”

 

She couldn’t get out anything more. The tears swelled, and Kasen let loose with uncontrollable sobbing.

 

Reimu couldn’t believe everything she had just seen, or that it was going end with this. Kasen may have been a nag and a weirdo, but she had always been kind and strong and dependable. She never fathomed that the hermit could be reduced to such a state.

 

Reimu stood up and slowly walked over to her devastated friend, who stopped crying for long enough to look up. The shrine maiden knelt down in front of Kasen, gave her a gentle hug, and the sobbing began anew.


End file.
